Western Sahara/Algeria: Refugees Face Curbs on Rights | WPN World People News

Refugees from the Western Sahara conflict who have been living in camps in the Algerian desert for four decades seem to be generally able to leave the camps if they wish, but face curbs on some rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report issued. The camps are run by the Polisario Front, which seeks self-determination for Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that Morocco has occupied since 1975.

The 94-page report, “Off the Radar: Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps,” is among the most detailed studies of the subject by an international human rights organization. It is based on interviews conducted during a two-week visit to the camps, as well as interviews conducted elsewhere. The UN operates a peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara but, in contrast to most similar missions elsewhere in the world, conducts no regular human rights monitoring either in the disputed territory or in the refugee camps.

A Sahrawi refugee camp near Tindouf, Algeria, Tindouf.

While the Polisario tolerates some speech and demonstrations critical of its governance, Human Rights Watch heard credible allegations that authorities harassed some critics for speaking out. In addition, the rights of some civilians tried before military courts have been abridged, and slavery-like practices continue to exist in isolated cases.

“There are cases of abuse, but there has also been exaggeration by some parties,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Regular, on-the-ground UN human rights monitoring and reporting would help establish the truth and protect both Sahrawis who live under Moroccan rule in Western Sahara and these isolated refugees.”

Source: Human Rights Watch